The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-01-07
CHAPTER III.
A RACE.

CHAPTER III.
RACE.
The unexpected vollcy probably disturbed
Private Joseph Pancakes mind more than
that of any other man in the regiment. II
produced there an effect akin to the sensation
of nauseous cmetic in his stomach.
Hc had long enjoyed the enviable distinc.
ton of being the 'best man" among the com.
bctive youths of Sardis, and his zeal and in,
variable success in the fistic tournaments
which form SO large part of the interest in
life of q certain class of young men in vii
lagos had led his townsmen to entertain ex-
travasant hopes as to his achievements in the
field.
But, like most of his class, his courage was
purely physical, and low order of that type.
He was bold in those encounters where he
knew that his superior strength and agility
rendered small the chances of his receiving
any serious bodily harm, but of that high
pride and mounting spirit which lead to sol
dierly deeds he had none
The sight of the dying men on either side
shriveled his heart with deadly panic.
"Oh, Kent" he groaned, "lemme 60, and
let's git out O here. This's just awful, and
it'll be ten times wuss in another minnit.
Let's git behind that big rock there as quick
as the Lord'll let u.s."
He turned to pull away from Kent's detailn-
ing hand when he heard Capt. Benefits
order to the regiment to charge, and the
hand relaxed its hold. Joe faced to the
front again and saw Kent and Abe Bolton
and the rest of the boys rush forward, leaving
him and a score of other weak kneed irreso-
lutes standing alone behind
Again he thought he would seek the refuge
of the rock, but at that moment the Union
line swept up to the Confederates, scattering
them as a wave does dry sand
Joes mental motions were reasonably
rapid. Now he was not long in realizing that
all the danger was past, and that he had an
opportunity Of gaining credit cheaply. He
acted promptly. Fixing his bayonet, he gave
fearful yell and started forward on run
for the position which the regiment had
ka. ..Jrr in the lead Of tfis pursuers.
and appeared, by his later zeal, to be making
amends for his earlier hardness. As he ran
ahead he shouted savagely:
"Run down the hellions! Shoot EN-! Stab
'em! Bay'net 'em! Don't let one of 'em get
away"
There is an excitement in a man chase that
is not even approached by any other kind Of
hunting, and Joe soon became fairly intoxi-
Gated with it.
slower-paced Confederates who surrendered
quietly and were handed by him over to the
other boys as they came up, and conducted
by them to the Par.
Becoming more excited he sped on, entirely
c..1 s..
comrades.
A hundred yards ahead of him was tall,
gaunt Virginian, clad in butternut colored
jeans of queer cut and pattern, and great
bell-crowned hat of rough, gray beaver.
Though his gait was stumbling, and his huge
splay feet rose and fell in the most awkward
way, he went over the ground with swift
ness that made it rather doubtful whether
Joe was gaining on him at all. But the lat
ter was encouraged by the signs of his chasc's
distress. First the bell-crowned hat flew off
and rolled behind, and Joe could not resist
the temptation to give it kick which sent it
spinning into clump of honeysuckles. Then
the Confederate flung off haversack, whose
tapping interfered with his speed, and this
was followed by clumsily constructed cedar
cantccn Next followed the fugitive's belt,
loaded down with IN antique cartridge box
4 savage knife made from a rasp and handled
with backhorn, and fierce looking horse
pistol with flint lock.
II seemed to be Dustin up a musyum O
evolutionary relics" said Joe afterward, in
describing the incident. "The Teller dropped
seepsakes from his forefathers like bird
noltin its feathers on a windy day. begun
% think that if KEEP =. the chase purity soon
led begin to shed Continental money and
knee breeches."
The fugitive turned off to the right into a
narrow path that wound through the laurel
hickets. Joe followed with all the energy
hat remained in him. confident that short
distance more would bring him SO close to his
,ame that he could force his surrender by q
hreat of bayoneting. He caught up to within |
rod of the Confederate, and was already |
orshortening his gun for lunge in case of |
efusal to surrender on demand, when he was |
lmazed to see the Confederate whirl around, |
evel his gun at him, and order his surrender. |
Zoe was SO astonished that he stumbled, fell |
Onward and dropped his gun. As he raised |
lis ewes he saw three or four other COnfeder. |
ties step out from behind rock, and level
heir guns upon him with an expression of
,loodthirstiness that seemed simply fiendish.
Then it flashed upon him how far away he
vas from all his comrades, and that the laby-
NTH of laurel made them even much more
emote. With this realization come the in
'oluntary groan:
40, Lordyl it's all up with me. I am a
;oner, sure!"
His courage did not ooze out Of his fingers,
Ike the historic Bob Acres; it vanished like
as from m rent balloon He clasped his
ands and tried to think of some prayer.
snow lay me" he murmured.
ashanti we shoot the varmintT said one OF
be Confederates. with motion of his gun In
with that idea.
80, mister-rnister-go mister, don't
lease don't! swear didn't mean to do no
arm to YOU"
"Wall, We acted monty quare for man that